Gia Lam Airport
Encyclopedia
Gia Lam Airport is one of two major airports in Hanoi
, Vietnam
, located in Gia Lâm
District, on the eastern bank of the Red River. It is primarily a military field, used by the Vietnam People's Air Force
(VPAF), with MiG-21 fighters and Kamov Ka-28 helicopters stored in revetments. The airfield was inaugurated in 1936, before the Japan
ese occupation of French Indochina
. The airport is currently used for military training activities, as well as for chartered helicopter taxi flights for tourists visiting nearby attractions such as Halong Bay
. According to official sources, however, the airport is slated to become a fully functional civilian airport by 2015, serving regional flights to and from locations throughout Northern Vietnam
.
: Aérogare de Gia Lam) was built in 1936, according to an urban plan laid out by French architect Ernest Hébrard
over a decade earlier. Hébrard was hired by the city of Hanoi's Urban Planning and Architecture Services department in 1923 to supervise a number of urban renewal
projects, including a new industrial area in Gia Lâm
District, on the eastern bank of the Red River. Hébrard's plan for Gia Lam included a renovated railway station
, along with space for factories, industrial establishments, and the new airfield. Upon its completion, it was one of two major airfields in the Hanoi area, the other being the (now-disused) Bach Mai Airfield
. The airfield itself was constructed according to a design by French architect Félix Godard.
On September 26, 1940, as part of the Invasion of French Indochina, Japanese
forces took possession of the airfield, maintaining control throughout World War II
, until their surrender to the Việt Minh
during the August Revolution
. Soon afterwards, the Democratic Republic of Vietnam
was proclaimed, with Việt Minh leader Hồ Chí Minh
as head of government. France
initially accepted the new government, but this position changed when negotiations about the future of Vietnam as a state within the French Union collapsed. Guerrilla fighting began between Việt Minh fighters and the French, and on December 19, 1946, in response to attacks on French installations in and around Hanoi, French troops re-occupied the airfield. This incident is considered to be the beginning of the First Indochina War
.
Gia Lam and Bach Mai later became the two major logistics bases supporting French operations at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu
. After their defeat at Dien Bien Phu, French forces surrendered the airfield to the Viet Minh. Gia Lam airfield was thereafter nationalized and used by the VPAF as their main airbase in the Hanoi area.
During the Second Indochina War, the American Joint Chiefs of Staff
placed Gia Lam on a list of 94 recommended bombing targets in North Vietnam
, identifying it as a major airbase
and as a storage location for petroleum, oil and lubricants (POL). All North Vietnamese airfields were removed from the USAF's "restricted target" list in April 1967, and Gia Lam was one of six deemed suitable for fast jet operations. As a result, it sustained heavy damage as part of Operation Rolling Thunder
, suffering repeated bomber attacks.
Following the cease-fire mandated by the Paris Peace Accords
in January 1973, Gia Lam was the site of Operation Homecoming
, a series of diplomatic negotiations that made possible the return of a number of American POWs held by the North Vietnamese. The first repatriation, effected by the United States Air Force
's Military Airlift Command
, happened on February 12, 1973, when C-141s of the 63d Military Airlift Wing
, flying from Clark Air Base
in the Philippines
, flew to Gia Lam and returned with a total of 116 former POWs. The first C-141 to return came to be known as the Hanoi Taxi
, named after the writing on the flight engineer's panel by the POWs aboard the plane for the freedom flight. Arizona Senator John McCain
was one of the POW
s who flew home from Gia Lam on the Hanoi Taxi. From February 12 to April 4, there were 54 C-141 missions flying out of Hanoi, bringing the former POWs home.
Vietnam Airlines
were located at Gia Lam Airport.
The Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam
currently has its headquarters at Gia Lam, along with a number of national aviation-related enterprises.
An-26 turboprop
aircraft on a training mission crashed into a field
in Thanh Tri
, in the outskirts of Hanoi, killing five Vietnamese military pilots. The plane took off from Gia Lam Airport, and crashed on its way back. The cause of the accident was unknown. A Vietnamese military official who declined to be named said the plane belonged to Vietnam's 918 Air Transport Regiment.
, part of Gia Lam Airport is expected to become a civilian airport in 2015, reserved for regional domestic airlines. This would allow passengers flying on short-haul flights, such as from Hanoi to Dien Bien, Vinh
, or Na San Airport
in the northern province of Son La
, to depart from Gia Lam airport, only 10 minutes away from the centre of Hanoi, rather than Noi Bai airport, which is located about an hour's drive away from the city. The airport would retain military uses.
Gia Lam's 2000 m by 45 m runway is suitable for small, short-haul aircraft such as ATR 72
twin-turboprops or Fokker 70 jets, which are already operated by Vietnam Airlines
as part of their fleet. Under the approved development plan, the parking yard will be upgraded to receive three ATR 72 or Fokker 70 aircraft by 2015, increasing to five by 2025. Its annual capacity is projected to be 162,000 passengers in 2015, increasing further to 300,000 passengers by 2025. The airport will be about the same size as Na San and Dien Bien airports, and will not be able to receive larger Airbus or Boeing aircraft, which will continue to be received at Noi Bai.
The renovations, which would allow the airport to meet the standards of the International Civil Aviation Organisation, are estimated to cost VND 287 billion (USD 17.3
million). These include: building a new parking yard covering 13720 square metres (3.4 acre) in 2015 and 20750 square metres (5.1 acre) by 2025; building the new terminal, which is expected to serve 270 passengers an hour during peak hours; and other adjustments such as the expansion of Nguyen Son road, which is the main route into the airport from the city. The renovated airport would be managed by the Northern Airport
Administration.
Hanoi
Hanoi , is the capital of Vietnam and the country's second largest city. Its population in 2009 was estimated at 2.6 million for urban districts, 6.5 million for the metropolitan jurisdiction. From 1010 until 1802, it was the most important political centre of Vietnam...
, Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
, located in Gia Lâm
Gia Lam
Gia Lâm is a district of Hanoi, the capital city of Vietnam. Gia Lam Airport is located in the district. At one time Vietnam Airlines's headquarters were on the airport property....
District, on the eastern bank of the Red River. It is primarily a military field, used by the Vietnam People's Air Force
Vietnam People's Air Force
The Vietnam People's Air Force is the air force of Vietnam. It is the successor of the former North Vietnamese Air Force and the absorbed Republic of Vietnam Air Force following the re-unification of Vietnam in 1975.-Beginning-1964 :The first Vietnamese aircraft were two trainers, a de Havilland...
(VPAF), with MiG-21 fighters and Kamov Ka-28 helicopters stored in revetments. The airfield was inaugurated in 1936, before the Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese occupation of French Indochina
French Indochina
French Indochina was part of the French colonial empire in southeast Asia. A federation of the three Vietnamese regions, Tonkin , Annam , and Cochinchina , as well as Cambodia, was formed in 1887....
. The airport is currently used for military training activities, as well as for chartered helicopter taxi flights for tourists visiting nearby attractions such as Halong Bay
Halong Bay
Ha Long Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and a popular travel destination, located in Quang Ninh province, Vietnam. Administratively, the bay belongs to Hạ Long City, Cẩm Phả town, and part of Van Don district. The bay features thousands of limestone karsts and isles in various sizes and shapes...
. According to official sources, however, the airport is slated to become a fully functional civilian airport by 2015, serving regional flights to and from locations throughout Northern Vietnam
Northern Vietnam
For the former country, see North VietnamNorthern Vietnam is one of the three regions within Vietnam ....
.
History
Gia Lam Airfield (FrenchFrench language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
: Aérogare de Gia Lam) was built in 1936, according to an urban plan laid out by French architect Ernest Hébrard
Ernest Hebrard
Ernest Hébrard was a French architect, archaeologist and urban planner who completed major projects in Greece, Morocco, and French Indochina. He is mostly renowned for his urban plan for the redevelopment of the center of Thessaloniki in Greece after its Great Fire of 1917.The majority of...
over a decade earlier. Hébrard was hired by the city of Hanoi's Urban Planning and Architecture Services department in 1923 to supervise a number of urban renewal
Urban renewal
Urban renewal is a program of land redevelopment in areas of moderate to high density urban land use. Renewal has had both successes and failures. Its modern incarnation began in the late 19th century in developed nations and experienced an intense phase in the late 1940s – under the rubric of...
projects, including a new industrial area in Gia Lâm
Gia Lam
Gia Lâm is a district of Hanoi, the capital city of Vietnam. Gia Lam Airport is located in the district. At one time Vietnam Airlines's headquarters were on the airport property....
District, on the eastern bank of the Red River. Hébrard's plan for Gia Lam included a renovated railway station
Gia Lam Railway Station
Gia Lam Railway Station is a railway station in Vietnam, in the north eastern Gia Lam district of Hanoi. It serves the city of Hanoi.It corresponds to the end of the normal gauge railway linking Vietnam to China ; the daily train to Nanning starts there rather than from the main Hanoi Railway...
, along with space for factories, industrial establishments, and the new airfield. Upon its completion, it was one of two major airfields in the Hanoi area, the other being the (now-disused) Bach Mai Airfield
Bach Mai Airfield
Bach Mai Airfield is a disused military airport in Thanh Xuan District, Hanoi, Vietnam, located along modern-day Le Trong Tan street. It was constructed by the French in 1917 and used by French forces until 1954; along with Gia Lam Airbase, it was one the major logistics bases supporting French...
. The airfield itself was constructed according to a design by French architect Félix Godard.
On September 26, 1940, as part of the Invasion of French Indochina, Japanese
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
forces took possession of the airfield, maintaining control throughout World War II
Vietnam during World War II
World War II was an event as decisive to Vietnam as the French taking of Đà Nẵng in 1858. Nationalist sentiments intensified in Vietnam, especially during and after the First World War, but all the uprisings and tentative efforts failed to obtain any concessions from the French overseers...
, until their surrender to the Việt Minh
Viet Minh
Việt Minh was a national independence coalition formed at Pac Bo on May 19, 1941. The Việt Minh initially formed to seek independence for Vietnam from the French Empire. When the Japanese occupation began, the Việt Minh opposed Japan with support from the United States and the Republic of China...
during the August Revolution
August Revolution
On August 19, 1945, the Việt Minh under Hồ Chí Minh began the August General Uprising Tổng Khởi Nghĩa, which was soon renamed the August Revolution . Whether or not this series of events should be called a "revolution" is disputable; what is clear is that, from August 19 onwards, demonstrations and...
. Soon afterwards, the Democratic Republic of Vietnam
North Vietnam
The Democratic Republic of Vietnam , was a communist state that ruled the northern half of Vietnam from 1954 until 1976 following the Geneva Conference and laid claim to all of Vietnam from 1945 to 1954 during the First Indochina War, during which they controlled pockets of territory throughout...
was proclaimed, with Việt Minh leader Hồ Chí Minh
Ho Chi Minh
Hồ Chí Minh , born Nguyễn Sinh Cung and also known as Nguyễn Ái Quốc, was a Vietnamese Marxist-Leninist revolutionary leader who was prime minister and president of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam...
as head of government. France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
initially accepted the new government, but this position changed when negotiations about the future of Vietnam as a state within the French Union collapsed. Guerrilla fighting began between Việt Minh fighters and the French, and on December 19, 1946, in response to attacks on French installations in and around Hanoi, French troops re-occupied the airfield. This incident is considered to be the beginning of the First Indochina War
First Indochina War
The First Indochina War was fought in French Indochina from December 19, 1946, until August 1, 1954, between the French Union's French Far East...
.
Gia Lam and Bach Mai later became the two major logistics bases supporting French operations at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu
Battle of Dien Bien Phu
The Battle of Dien Bien Phu was the climactic confrontation of the First Indochina War between the French Union's French Far East Expeditionary Corps and Viet Minh communist revolutionaries. The battle occurred between March and May 1954 and culminated in a comprehensive French defeat that...
. After their defeat at Dien Bien Phu, French forces surrendered the airfield to the Viet Minh. Gia Lam airfield was thereafter nationalized and used by the VPAF as their main airbase in the Hanoi area.
During the Second Indochina War, the American Joint Chiefs of Staff
Joint Chiefs of Staff
The Joint Chiefs of Staff is a body of senior uniformed leaders in the United States Department of Defense who advise the Secretary of Defense, the Homeland Security Council, the National Security Council and the President on military matters...
placed Gia Lam on a list of 94 recommended bombing targets in North Vietnam
North Vietnam
The Democratic Republic of Vietnam , was a communist state that ruled the northern half of Vietnam from 1954 until 1976 following the Geneva Conference and laid claim to all of Vietnam from 1945 to 1954 during the First Indochina War, during which they controlled pockets of territory throughout...
, identifying it as a major airbase
Airbase
An airbase is a military airfield that provides basing and support of military aircraft....
and as a storage location for petroleum, oil and lubricants (POL). All North Vietnamese airfields were removed from the USAF's "restricted target" list in April 1967, and Gia Lam was one of six deemed suitable for fast jet operations. As a result, it sustained heavy damage as part of Operation Rolling Thunder
Operation Rolling Thunder
Operation Rolling Thunder was the title of a gradual and sustained US 2nd Air Division , US Navy, and Republic of Vietnam Air Force aerial bombardment campaign conducted against the Democratic Republic of Vietnam from 2 March 1965 until 1 November 1968, during the Vietnam War.The four objectives...
, suffering repeated bomber attacks.
Following the cease-fire mandated by the Paris Peace Accords
Paris Peace Accords
The Paris Peace Accords of 1973 intended to establish peace in Vietnam and an end to the Vietnam War, ended direct U.S. military involvement, and temporarily stopped the fighting between North and South Vietnam...
in January 1973, Gia Lam was the site of Operation Homecoming
Operation Homecoming
Operation Homecoming was a series of diplomatic negotiations that in January 1973 made possible the return of 591 American prisoners of war held by North Vietnam. On Feb. 12, 1973, three C-141 transports flew to Hanoi, North Vietnam, and one C-9A aircraft was sent to Saigon, South Vietnam to pick...
, a series of diplomatic negotiations that made possible the return of a number of American POWs held by the North Vietnamese. The first repatriation, effected by the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
's Military Airlift Command
Military Airlift Command
The Military Airlift Command is an inactive United States Air Force Major Command of the USAF which was headquartered at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. It was constituted on 1 January 1966 and active until the end of the Cold War, when the Air Force table of organization was revised...
, happened on February 12, 1973, when C-141s of the 63d Military Airlift Wing
63d Airlift Wing
The 63d Airlift Wing is an inactive unit of the United States Air Force. Its last assignment was with Air Mobility Command, being stationed at Norton Air Force Base, California. It was inactivated on April 1, 1994.-Origins:...
, flying from Clark Air Base
Clark Air Base
Clark Air Base is a former United States Air Force base on Luzon Island in the Philippines, located 3 miles west of Angeles City, about 40 miles northwest of Metro Manila. Clark Air Base was an American military facility from 1903 to 1991...
in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, flew to Gia Lam and returned with a total of 116 former POWs. The first C-141 to return came to be known as the Hanoi Taxi
Hanoi Taxi
Hanoi Taxi is a Lockheed C-141 Starlifter strategic airlift aircraft that was in service with the United States Air Force and became famous for bringing back the first returned prisoners of war in Operation Homecoming...
, named after the writing on the flight engineer's panel by the POWs aboard the plane for the freedom flight. Arizona Senator John McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
was one of the POW
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
s who flew home from Gia Lam on the Hanoi Taxi. From February 12 to April 4, there were 54 C-141 missions flying out of Hanoi, bringing the former POWs home.
Facilities
At one time, the headquarters of national flag carrierFlag carrier
A flag carrier is a transportation company, such as an airline or shipping company, that, being locally registered in a given country, enjoys preferential rights or privileges, accorded by the government, for international operations. It may be a state-run, state-owned or private but...
Vietnam Airlines
Vietnam Airlines
Vietnam Airlines Company Limited, trading as Vietnam Airlines , is the national flag carrier of Vietnam. Founded in 1956 under the name Vietnam Civil Aviation, the airline was established as a state enterprise in April 1989. Vietnam Airlines is headquartered in Long Bien, Hanoi, with hubs at Noi...
were located at Gia Lam Airport.
The Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam
Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam
The Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam is the aviation authority under the Ministry of Transport of Vietnam. It handles and regulates civil aviation in Vietnam...
currently has its headquarters at Gia Lam, along with a number of national aviation-related enterprises.
Incidents and accidents
On April 8, 2008, a Soviet-built AntonovAntonov
Antonov, or Antonov Aeronautical Scientist/Technical Complex , formerly the Antonov Design Bureau, is a Ukrainian aircraft manufacturing and services company with particular expertise in the field of very large aircraft construction. Antonov ASTC is a state-owned commercial company...
An-26 turboprop
Turboprop
A turboprop engine is a type of turbine engine which drives an aircraft propeller using a reduction gear.The gas turbine is designed specifically for this application, with almost all of its output being used to drive the propeller...
aircraft on a training mission crashed into a field
Hanoi military plane crash
A twin-engine light transport aircraft crashed into a field on the outskirts of the capital Hanoi on Tuesday morning 8 April 2008 during a training mission, killing five Vietnamese military pilots.-Details:...
in Thanh Tri
Thanh Tri, Hanoi
Thanh Trì is a district of Hanoi, the capital city of Vietnam. Thanh Tri is located on the southeastern side of Hanoi, on the western bank of the Red River...
, in the outskirts of Hanoi, killing five Vietnamese military pilots. The plane took off from Gia Lam Airport, and crashed on its way back. The cause of the accident was unknown. A Vietnamese military official who declined to be named said the plane belonged to Vietnam's 918 Air Transport Regiment.
Upcoming renovations
Because of its proximity to the center of Hanoi compared to Noi Bai International AirportNoi Bai International Airport
Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, is the largest in the north of the country. It is 28 miles from the city centre. The travel time from the city centre is 30–45 minutes.-Facilities:...
, part of Gia Lam Airport is expected to become a civilian airport in 2015, reserved for regional domestic airlines. This would allow passengers flying on short-haul flights, such as from Hanoi to Dien Bien, Vinh
Vinh
Vinh is a city in Vietnam. It is located in the northern half of the country, and is the capital of Nghệ An Province. Politically, Vinh is a municipality within Nghệ An Province. On September 5th, 2008, it was upgraded from Grade-II city to Grade-I city, the fourth Grade-I city of Vietnam after...
, or Na San Airport
Na San Airport
The Na San Airport is an airport in Son La, Son La Province, Vietnam....
in the northern province of Son La
Son La
Sơn La is a city in northwestern Vietnam. It is the capital of the Son La province....
, to depart from Gia Lam airport, only 10 minutes away from the centre of Hanoi, rather than Noi Bai airport, which is located about an hour's drive away from the city. The airport would retain military uses.
Gia Lam's 2000 m by 45 m runway is suitable for small, short-haul aircraft such as ATR 72
ATR 72
The ATR 72 is a twin-engine turboprop short-haul regional airliner built by the French-Italian aircraft manufacturer ATR. ATR and Airbus are both built in Toulouse, and share resources and technology...
twin-turboprops or Fokker 70 jets, which are already operated by Vietnam Airlines
Vietnam Airlines
Vietnam Airlines Company Limited, trading as Vietnam Airlines , is the national flag carrier of Vietnam. Founded in 1956 under the name Vietnam Civil Aviation, the airline was established as a state enterprise in April 1989. Vietnam Airlines is headquartered in Long Bien, Hanoi, with hubs at Noi...
as part of their fleet. Under the approved development plan, the parking yard will be upgraded to receive three ATR 72 or Fokker 70 aircraft by 2015, increasing to five by 2025. Its annual capacity is projected to be 162,000 passengers in 2015, increasing further to 300,000 passengers by 2025. The airport will be about the same size as Na San and Dien Bien airports, and will not be able to receive larger Airbus or Boeing aircraft, which will continue to be received at Noi Bai.
The renovations, which would allow the airport to meet the standards of the International Civil Aviation Organisation, are estimated to cost VND 287 billion (USD 17.3
million). These include: building a new parking yard covering 13720 square metres (3.4 acre) in 2015 and 20750 square metres (5.1 acre) by 2025; building the new terminal, which is expected to serve 270 passengers an hour during peak hours; and other adjustments such as the expansion of Nguyen Son road, which is the main route into the airport from the city. The renovated airport would be managed by the Northern Airport
Administration.